The 2013 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship was the 126th staging of the All-Ireland championship since its establishment in 1887. The draw for the 2013 fixtures took place on 4 October 2012. The championship began on 5 May 2013 and ended on 28 September 2013 with Clare winning their fourth All Ireland title after a 5–16 to 3–16 win against Cork in the replayed final.
Kilkenny were the defending champions. However, they were knocked out of the Leinster Championship by eventual Leinster champions Dublin at the semi-final stage and Cork saw them off in the All-Ireland quarter-final. Limerick won the Munster Championship for the first time since 1996. Cork defeated Dublin and Clare defeated Limerick in the All-Ireland semi-finals.
The 2013 Championship has been described by many as one of the best ever. In February 2014, the GAA announced that both the 2013 football and hurling Championships brought in €11.9m in gate receipts, an increase of €1.3m for the hurling championship.
The introduction of Hawk-Eye for Championship matches at Croke Park fell foul in a high-profile blunder by the computer system which led to use of Hawk-Eye being suspended during the All-Ireland semi-finals on 18 August. During the minor game between Limerick and Galway, Hawk-Eye ruled a point for Limerick as a miss although the graphic showed the ball passing inside the posts, causing confusion around the stadium – the referee ultimately waved the valid point wide provoking anger from fans, viewers and TV analysts covering the game live. The system was subsequently stood down for the senior game which followed, owing to "an inconsistency in the generation of a graphic". Hawk-Eye admitted they were to blame and as a result Limerick, who were narrowly defeated after extra-time, announced they would be appealing over Hawk-Eye's costly failure. The incident drew attention from the UK, where Hawk-Eye had made its debut in English soccer's Premier League the day before.
Team changes
To Championship Promoted from the Christy Ring Cup
London
From Championship Relegated to the Christy Ring Cup
None
Teams All teams from the 2012 championship continued to line out in hurling's top tier in 2013.
Kilkenny were installed as the favourites to retain the All-Ireland title for a third consecutive year and to secure a remarkable tenth championship in fourteen seasons. Tipperary and Galway, the last two teams to beat Kilkenny in championship hurling, were regarded as the two teams most likely to provide the strongest challenge to Kilkenny's supremacy once again. Limerick were ranked at 20/1 as they hoped to end a forty-year wait for the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Waterford, a team who won four Munster titles between 2002 and 2010, were seen as a team to have missed out on their chance at an All-Ireland title and were ranked at 25/1. London, the winners of the 2012 Christy Ring Cup, availed of their automatic right to promotion to the top tier and joined the Leinster championship.
Prior to the championship draw it emerged that Croke Park officials had written to the Laois County Board inviting the county hurlers to participate in the 2013 Christy Ring Cup. This was prompted by Laois's poor results during the previous few seasons. In spite of these concerns Laois decided to remain in hurling's top tier and subsequently won two Leinster Championship matches.
General information Fifteen counties will compete in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship: ten teams in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship and five teams in the Munster Senior Hurling Championship. CountyLast provincial titleLast championship titlePosition in 2012 ChampionshipAppearance Antrim2012—Qualifiers Phase 1 Carlow——Qualifiers Phase 1 Clare19981997Qualifiers Phase 3 Cork20062005Semi-finals Dublin19611938Qualifiers Phase 2 Galway20121988Runners-up Kilkenny20112012Champions Laois19491915Qualifiers preliminary round Limerick19961973Quarter-finals London—1901Champions (Christy Ring Cup) Offaly19951998Qualifiers Phase 2 Tipperary20122010Semi-finals Waterford20071959Quarter-finals Westmeath——Qualifiers preliminary round Wexford20041996Qualifiers Phase 3
Personnel and kits
CountyColoursSponsorsCaptainVice-captainManager(s)AntrimSaffron and whiteCreagh ConcreteNeil McManusKevin RyanCarlowRed, green and yellowDan Morrissey Ltd.Edward CoadyJohn MeylerClareSaffron and bluePat O'DonnellPat DonnellanBrendan BuglerEnda BarrettDavy FitzgeraldCorkRed and whiteChill InsurancePa CroninJimmy Barry-MurphyDublinNavy and blueVodafoneJohn McCaffreyAnthony DalyGalwayMaroon and whiteSupermac'sFergal MooreAnthony CunninghamKilkennyBlack and amberGlanbiaColin FennellyHenry ShefflinBrian CodyLaoisBlue and whiteMW Hire ServicesMatthew WhelanSéamus PlunkettLimerickGreen and whiteSporting LimerickDonal O'GradyPaudie O'BrienJohn AllenLondonGreen and whiteBewley's HotelsJohn WalshÉamonn PhelanOffalyGreen, white and goldCarroll CuisineDavid KennyOllie BakerTipperaryBlue and goldŠkoda AutoShane McGrathBrendan MaherEamon O'SheaWaterfordWhite and blue3Kevin MoranNoel ConnorsMichael RyanWestmeathMaroon and whiteAnnabrook HotelEoin PriceBrian HanleyWexfordPurple and GoldSports Savers Garrett SinnottRichie KehoeLiam Dunne
Summary
Championships Level on PyramidCompetitionChampionsRunners upTier 12013 All Ireland Senior Hurling Championship Clare CorkTier 1 (Leinster)2013 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Dublin GalwayTier 1 (Munster)2013 Munster Senior Hurling Championship Limerick CorkTier 1 (Ulster)2013 Ulster Senior Hurling Championship Antrim DownTier 22013 Christy Ring Cup Down KerryTier 32013 Nicky Rackard Cup Donegal RoscommonTier 42013 Lory Meagher Cup Warwickshire Longford
Broadcasting RTÉ and TV3 provided live coverage and highlights of matches in Ireland on The Sunday Game Live and Championship Live respectively, with RTÉ showing the All-Ireland Final live. Setanta Sports and TG4 showed highlights of matches in Ireland also. Setanta Sports broadcasts live Championship matches in Australia. Also Setanta Sports provided live matches in Asia. The Championship Live live programme was presented by Matt Cooper, usually from an on-pitch studio with analysis from Daithí Regan, Jamesie O'Connor, and Nicky English. The Sunday Game live programme was presented by Michael Lyster with analysis usually from Cyril Farrell, Ger Loughnane, Liam Sheedy, and Tomás Mulcahy. Highlights of all games were shown on The Sunday Game programme which aired usually at 9:30pm on Sundays on RTÉ Two and was presented by Des Cahill with analysis from Eddie Brennan and Donal Óg Cusack.
Television coverage, in particular that of the Leinster Hurling Championship has been criticised in some circles. Neither RTÉ or TV3 decided to broadcast both Leinster Hurling Championship semi-finals. Both channels also declined the offer from the Leinster GAA to reschedule the Dublin – Kilkenny semi-final replay in order for it to be broadcast.
These matches were broadcast live on television in Ireland Round RTÉ TV3 Munster ChampionshipClare vs WaterfordLimerick vs CorkLimerick v Tipperary Cork vs Clare Leinster ChampionshipOffaly vs KilkennyDublin vs Kilkenny (Replay shown online only)Dublin vs Galway Qualifiers Waterford vs Kilkenny Kilkenny v Tipperary Quarter-finalsCork vs KilkennyGalway v ClareSemi-finalsDublin vs CorkLimerick v ClareFinal and ReplayCork vs Clare
Provincial championships
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship
Bracket
Munster Senior Hurling Championship
Bracket
Ulster Senior Hurling Championship
Cup competitions
Christy Ring Cup (Tier 2)
Nicky Rackard Cup (Tier 3)
Lory Meagher Cup (Tier 4)
Group stage TeamQualification1 Warwickshire32102–271–25 +55Advance to Knockout Stage2 Longford320110–352–32 +2743 Fermanagh31114–387–37 −834 Leitrim30030–196–25 −240
Final
All-Ireland qualifiers Teams eliminated prior to the semi-finals of their provincial championship compete in the preliminary rounds and phase 1. Teams eliminated in the provincial semi finals take part in phase 2. Phase 3 sees the winners of phase 1 take on the winners of phase 2, with the winners advancing to the All Ireland quarter-finals
Preliminary round
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship
Bracket Teams in bold advanced to the next round. The provincial champions are marked by an asterisk.
All-Ireland quarter-finals
All-Ireland semi-finals
All-Ireland final
Statistics
Scoring First goal of the championship: Niall O'Brien for Westmeath against Antrim (Leinster preliminary round, 5 May 2013) Widest winning margin: 20 points Clare 1–32 – 0–15 Laois (qualifier phase 1) Most goals in a match: 8 Clare 5–16 – 3–16 Cork (All-Ireland final replay) Most points in a match: 47 Clare 1-32 - 0-15 Laois (qualifier phase 1) Most goals by one team in a match: 5 Clare 5–16 – 3–16 Cork (All-Ireland final replay) Highest aggregate score: (70 minutes) 56 points Clare 5–16 – 3–16 Cork (All-Ireland final replay) Lowest aggregate score: 29 points Antrim 0–11 – 1–15 Westmeath (qualifier preliminary round) Most goals scored by a losing team: 4 Offaly 4–9 – 0–26 Kilkenny (Leinster quarter-final)
Top scorers Overall Rank Player County Tally Total Matches Average1Colin RyanClare0–707088.752Patrick HorganCork1–495268.73Eoin LarkinKilkenny0–505068.334Jack GuineyWexford2–394559.005Paul RyanDublin3–324166.83
Single game Rank Player County Tally Total Opposition1Maurice ShanahanWaterford0–1313OffalyPaul RyanDublin2–713Galway2Colin RyanClare0–1212CorkPaul RyanDublin1–912WexfordMaurice ShanahanWaterford1–912WestmeathShane O'DonnellClare3–312Cork3Craig DoyleCarlow3–211LondonJack GuineyWexford1–811DublinJack GuineyWexford1–811ClareEoin LarkinKilkenny0–1111OffalyJoe CanningGalway0–1111LaoisDerek McNicholasWestmeath0–1111LondonEoin LarkinKilkenny0–1111DublinEoin LarkinKilkenny0–1111TipperaryColin RyanClare0–1111LaoisPatrick HorganCork0–1111Kilkenny5Neil McManusAntrim2–410WestmeathPatrick HorganCork1–710DublinJack GuineyWexford0–1010CarlowDavid EnglishCarlow0–1010WexfordColin RyanClare0–1010WexfordColin RyanClare0–1010Galway21Joey BolandDublin0–99WexfordDeclan HannonLimerick0–99TipperaryStephen MaherLaois0–99CarlowJoey BolandDublin0–99Kilkenny
Miscellaneous In Carlow's defeat of London in the first round of the Leinster championship, Craig Doyle became the first player in the history of the championship to score three goals after coming on as a substitute. In the Leinster semi-final replay, Dublin record a championship defeat of Kilkenny for the first time since 1942. The Leinster final was notable for a number of reasons. It was the first final to feature neither Kilkenny or Wexford since 1990. The meeting of Dublin and Galway in the provincial decider was a first, while it was also their first championship meeting since 1942. Dublin maintained their 100% success rate over Galway, with a sixth win from six meetings, to claim the Leinster title for the first time since 1961. The Munster final between Cork and Limerick was the sides' first meeting at this stage of the championship since 1992. Limerick's victory was their first provincial title since 1996. Cork and Kilkenny's All-Ireland quarter-final meeting at Semple Stadium was their first championship meeting outside of Croke Park since 1907. For the first time since 1951, Kilkenny did not play a single championship game in Croke Park. It is also the first time since 1996 that Kilkenny failed to qualify for an All-Ireland semi-final. The All-Ireland semi-final between Cork and Dublin was the sides' first meeting in the All-Ireland series since 1952. The All-Ireland semi-final between Clare and Limerick was the sides' first ever meeting at this stage of the championship.